[✔️] July 22, 2021 - Daily Global Warming News Digest

[👀 Richard Pauli]

/*July 22, 2021*/



[Universal - global warming  ]

*Climate change spares no country, poor or rich, says Amitav Ghosh*
Nations need to wake up to the reality that climate change will affect 
everyone — and not in some far-off fictional future, says the New 
York-based Indian author.

- -

"In a sense, one of the things that is really becoming clear is we are 
in an era where our expectations of the past really don't apply. For 
example, it's often said that affluence and good infrastructure will 
protect people from terrible natural disasters and so on. And I think, 
increasingly, we see that is not the case," Ghosh says.

He illustrates his argument with another example: the wildfires that are 
raging in northern California, also one of the richest parts of the world.

Ghosh also points out that climate change is not just limited to natural 
disasters that uproot people's lives. It can be as innocuous as 
Californian vineyard owners complaining that their businesses are being 
destroyed because of smoke getting into wine grapes, he says.

Ghosh believes that fiction needs to catch up with this reality. Since 
the 2016 publication of his book-length essay, The Great Derangement: 
Climate Change and the Unthinkable , Ghosh has been actively discussing 
climate change, especially in the context of writing stories.

*When fiction is actually reality*
In recent times, there have been landmark novels focusing on climate 
hazards. These include George Turner's The Sea and Summer (1987); James 
Bradley's Clade (2015); Barbara Kingsolver's Flight Behavior (2012); 
Margaret Atwood's Oryx and Crake (2003) and The Year of the Flood 
(2009); and Richard Powers' The Overstory (2018).

Ghosh's own book from 2019, Gun Island, deals with issues like global 
warming and the danger to fish from chemical wastes in the Sunderbans.

But Ghosh still has a problem with most current fiction works on global 
warming, a genre often referred to as eco-fiction, climate fiction, or 
cli-fi. He argues that it displaces natural disasters from the present 
time, when in fact it's all happening right now.

"I really have a problem with these genres. ... You treat this reality 
as though it was somehow unreal. You project it into the future or you 
make it into some kind of a fantasy," Ghosh says.
- -
Ghosh cites an example: "New York City was hit by a terrible cyclone in 
2012. It was called Hurricane Sandy, and it devastated New York. And New 
York City has so many writers, poets, filmmakers, artists and so on, but 
you'll find very little written about Hurricane Sandy, yet you'll find 
many books about the future drowning of New York."

He says this could reflect a denial of lived reality.

"Today, what is so obvious is that this is an overwhelming reality, for 
those people in Germany, for example," Ghosh says. "They keep saying 
it's unbelievable, they can't believe it, it's never happened before. 
And that's just the point. The whole point is, it's not just 
unbelievable: It's real, it's happening. It's happening to us right now."

*The 'arrogance' of the West*
Ghosh believes the West has brought about the current global warming 
crisis through colonialism, industrialization. and, consequently, the 
new global culture of consumerism and increased production. This has 
helped Western countries dominate international policy in almost every 
aspect and be dismissive of cultures in less developed countries.

"The West has been so isolated by its incredible arrogance and its sense 
of superiority. It really needs to start learning from the rest of the 
world," he argues. Bangladesh experiences floods every year in the 
monsoon when the Padma — the Ganges in the South Asian country — 
overfloods its banks. "But very few people die because people are 
prepared, people know how dangerous floods can be," he says.
- -
Ultimately, the increasing frequency of climate change-related 
catastrophes has made it clear that we as humans share a common 
predicament, Ghosh says, but adds that countries need to wake up to this 
new reality.

"I hope that one of the lessons people take away from this terrible 
tragedy in Germany is that nobody can afford to be complacent," he says. 
"All human beings are now facing the same plight. You cannot expect 
that, simply because you belong to an affluent country, that you're in 
some way protected."

https://www.dw.com/en/climate-change-spares-no-country-poor-or-rich-says-amitav-ghosh/a-58575186



[NPR]
*The Western Wildfires Are Affecting People 3,000 Miles Away*
July 21, 2021
Smoke traveling from the Western wildfires is reaching all the way 
across the U.S., bringing vibrant red sunsets and moon glow to the East. 
But it's also carrying poor air quality and harmful health effects 
thousands of miles away from the flames.

Large fires have been actively burning for weeks across the Western U.S. 
and Canada. Currently, the largest in the U.S. is the Bootleg Fire in 
Oregon, which has now burned more than 600 square miles of land and 
become so large it generates its own weather.

For days, Eastern states have been trapped in a smoky haze originating 
from the fires across the nation. Smoke has settled over major cities 
nearly 3,000 miles from the fires, including Philadelphia and New York, 
and even in the eastern parts of Canada.

It's the second year in a row that smoke has traveled so far into the 
East. The sight has become normal during wildfire season as fires have 
become more intense, long lasting and dangerous because of climate change.
- -
"As long as active fires are burning and high pressure remains across 
the central part of the United States, many locations will at least see 
some reduction of visibility in their environment east of the Rockies," 
she said.

"Once fire activity decreases and precipitation reenters the picture for 
places that are receiving this reduction in visibility due to smoke, 
then that will help to mitigate smoke impacts," she added.
https://www.npr.org/2021/07/21/1018865569/the-western-wildfires-are-affecting-people-3-000-miles-away



[Radical actions discussed - video starts 16 min in]
*Vandana Shiva and the Hubris of Messing With Nature*
July 21, 2021
Climate One
 From clearing land for pasture to building dams, humans have long 
changed the face of the Earth. We are tool users and problem solvers by 
nature. But what happens when solving one problem — the need for cheap 
energy, for example — creates another? Pumping carbon into the skies has 
led to climate chaos; should we now apply more technology to try to get 
out of the mess we created? Stopping the burning of fossil fuels is 
imperative if we are to prevent the worst effects of climate change, but 
it may not be enough. One proposed emergency solution is geoengineering 
— man-made ways to cool the planet. Physicist, ecologist, and activist 
Vandana Shiva argues that geoengineering is the ultimate hubris, without 
democratic control. “Geoengineering is an experiment, not a solution.” 
But when our house is burning down, does it really make sense to take 
some options for stopping the conflagration off the table? What if 
lower-tech solutions like regenerative agriculture aren’t enough?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRIh6YIqBFY





[Hey, I live in Seattle]
*Experts Say Seattle, Puget Sound Cities Need Specific Plans for Heat Waves*
Evan Bush / The Seattle Times (TNS)  July 21, 2021
SEATTLE — No one needs to die in a heat wave...
- -
Heat waves test the fabric of society. They reveal who can't get to a 
cooling center, access water or find the help they need to beat the heat.
- -
The city of Seattle, which has the most resources of any Washington 
city, did not have a specific plan for heat response, only two of its 
community centers have air conditioning and only 20% of its public 
drinking fountains, which had been turned off during the COVID-19 
pandemic, were operational before the June heat wave struck.

In our current climate, a heat wave of similar severity could be 
expected, roughly, once every 1,000 years across the Pacific Northwest, 
according to a recent study that has yet to receive peer review. But as 
global warming advances, such a severe heat wave could be expected once 
every five to 10 years, the research suggests.

As temperatures continue to rise, and other effects of climate change 
intensify, such as wildfire smoke, experts say the need for coordinated 
planning grows.
- -
Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan pushed out news releases warning of the heat 
and held a news conference detailing the city's preparation. Behind the 
scenes, the Seattle Office of Emergency Management began coordinating 
with the National Weather Service and other agencies on June 22, four 
days before the heat wave.

Seattle City Light called off all scheduled maintenance work in advance 
of the heat wave. The Durkan administration lobbied Gov. Jay Inslee's 
office on June 24, asking it to relax COVID-19 restrictions for cooling 
centers, to which the governor assented.

But the city's actions did not follow a specific advance game plan for 
extreme heat, and some of its infrastructure was ill-equipped to deal 
with a heat-related disaster.

The heat wave — which began June 26 — would send temperatures at 
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport above 100 degrees for a record 
three days. Normal high temperatures for Seattle in late June hover 
around 74 degrees; they would climb to a record 108 on June 28.
- -
Fewer than half of Seattleites have home air conditioning, according to 
data from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Housing Survey, leaving many 
people without simple options to cool down at home. It is the least 
air-conditioned metro area in the U.S.

"If you are vulnerable, or if you have vulnerable people in your 
household, it's important to have cooling resources," said Dr. Deepti 
Singh, a climate researcher at Washington State University — Vancouver, 
in the days before the heat wave hit.

But many city facilities aren't equipped to be cooling centers.

Only two of the city's 26 community centers (Northgate and Chinatown 
International District) have air conditioning, according to Jesús 
Aguirre, the superintendent of Seattle Parks and Recreation. A third, 
Rainier Beach, "has some cooling capacity in the lobby."

Tom Fay, The Seattle Public Library's interim chief, said 19 of 27 
branches have air conditioning, but staffing limitations allowed only 13 
to open.
- -
*Plans, But Not Specific to Heat*

While Seattle's All-Hazards Mitigation Plan does mention excessive heat 
events, Seattle does not have a specific plan for dealing with them.
- -
Seattle is one of many local governments that has yet to develop 
fundamental plans for heat waves, experts say. So-called "heat action 
plans" are common in areas with more frequent heat waves, such as 
Phoenix and Chicago.

Ebi, a top researcher on heat-wave preparedness, said she knew of 
nowhere in the state with a heat-action plan. Historically, extreme heat 
kills more people in the U.S. than any other weather phenomenon.

As part of these plans, local meteorologists typically work with city or 
county governments to develop a tiered early warning system based on 
temperature thresholds. When a forecast reaches a certain point, 
emergency managers can send out specific messaging to residents about 
cooling centers, how to spot symptoms of heat illness, and other advice. 
They can also notify doctors and pharmacists, who would then warn 
patients taking medication that might place them at higher risk.

In the days approaching the heat wave, Seattle and King County public 
agencies sent some of these key messages — through Twitter, emails, news 
releases and other means — but it was more of an ad hoc approach, not 
part of an established early-warning system.
- -
Heat can kill by myriad methods.

Organs can overheat dangerously if the body loses its ability to 
regulate temperature, risking death. Heat can also exacerbate symptoms 
from underlying ailments like cardiac disease, diabetes or kidney problems.

When the heat wave struck, doctors compared the onslaught of patients in 
hospitals to the early days dealing with COVID-19.
- -
Seattle City Light, the electric utility, had to buy extra power to meet 
record demand, as residents cranked air conditioning units. That cost $3 
million, General Manager Debra Smith said. Line workers meanwhile 
sweated in underground vaults to deal with repeated, heat-related power 
outages in neighborhoods like Wedgwood.

Nine library branches open on June 27 served 1,682 people throughout the 
day; eight open on June 28 served 2,127 people.

The city's beaches, spray parks, wading pools and swimming pools were 
crowded throughout the weekend, and about 700 parks employees were working.

But only 107 people visited community centers that were open for cooling 
(just one person visited Rainier Beach Community Center), while 100 
people used the Amazon Meeting Center downtown, which the Durkan 
administration had requested the company open.
More than 110 case managers who work for the city and county Aging and 
Disability Services agency worked during the heat wave. They made phone 
calls to check 2,137 vulnerable clients and distributed 88 fans. The 
senior centers that opened as cooling sites contacted clients, as well.
- -
City workers did not conduct widespread canvassing to check on residents 
or inform of heat concerns.

Scoggins said the city needs to develop a more robust outreach plan to 
help reach older Seattleites before they need emergency help.
- -
The recent heat wave was rare, but risks are expected to grow.

And even smaller heat events can take a toll.

Tania Busch Isaksen, a University of Washington researcher who has 
studied the impacts of heat here, said King County begins to see health 
impacts "on a mid-80s day" when humidity percentages are in the 40s.

Seattle's All-Hazards Mitigation Plan is being updated this year to 
include more emphasis on heat events, identifying them as a deadly 
hazard "projected to become more intense in the future due to climate 
change."

The updates, for 2021 to 2026, are pending approval by the City Council 
and call for improving community centers so they can be cooling sites 
and expanding the city's tree canopy, among other actions. These plans 
are not meant to guide the city's response during crises.

Ebi said specific heat-action plans should be developed and then 
stress-tested for worst-case scenarios, such as a two-week heat wave 
during which the power grid fails.

"That could happen now," she said. "There needs to be thinking more 
about what climate change is going to throw at us, and how we can be 
better prepared."
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/environment/experts-say-cities-need-specific-plans-for-heat-waves-why-doesnt-seattle-have-one/


[Chan 4 ]
*Will world take action after a week of major climate disasters?*
Jul 20, 2021
Channel 4 News
Today, there was yet another warning on climate change: the 
International Energy Agency predicting global emissions of greenhouse 
gases will reach an all-time high in 2023 - as governments all over the 
world fail to 'build back better' as they recover from the pandemic.

(Subscribe: https://bit.ly/C4_News_Subscribe)

There are, of course, constant reminders of the real impact of the 
Emergency on Planet Earth.

We have correspondents across the globe in climate crisis hotspots - 
from a proposed oil field off the coast of Shetland, to monsoon rains in 
India, wildfires in the United States, and the devastating floods in 
Germany.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNiH-sujjRk


[Over-exuberance means trouble]
*California couple whose gender-reveal party sparked a wildfire charged 
with 30 crimes*
The pyrotechnic device sparked the destructive El Dorado fire, which 
destroyed five homes and killed one firefighter

A California couple has been criminally charged for their role in 
igniting last year’s destructive El Dorado wildfire after they used a 
pyrotechnic device during a gender-reveal party.

The blaze torched close to 23,000 acres (9,300 hectares), destroyed five 
homes and 15 other buildings, and claimed the life of a firefighter, 
Charlie Morton.

Refugio Manuel Jimenez Jr and Angela Renee Jimenez were indicted for 30 
crimes including involuntary manslaughter, said Jason Anderson, the San 
Bernardino county district attorney, during a press conference. The 
couple pleaded not guilty and were released to await their court date.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jul/21/couple-gender-reveal-party-wildfire-charged



[The news archive - looking back]
*On this day in the history of global warming July 22, 2013*

July 22, 2013: Rep. Rush Holt (D-NJ), a carbon-tax advocate running for 
the seat left vacant by the passing of Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), 
shocks the Washington establishment by bluntly stating that "millions 
will die" if something is not done to address carbon pollution. (Rep. 
Holt would go on to lose the Democratic Senate primary to Newark, NJ 
mayor Cory Booker, who won the seat in the general election.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_O4nEMAtP4&sns=em

http://www.politifact.com/new-jersey/statements/2013/jul/28/rush-holt/rush-holt-warns-millions-will-die-climate-change-g/

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